A 19-year-old from New Hampshire could be sentenced to a minimum of 97 years in prison over the 2022 murders of his sister-in-law and her two young sons.Eric Sweeney admitted to killing his sister-in-law and two young nephews when he was 16. Eric Sweeney, who had been living with his older brother’s family in Northfield for three years, fatally shot 25-year-old Kassandra Sweeney and her sons — 4-year-old Benjamin and 23-month-old Mason — in August 2022. Initially charged with first-degree murder, he pleaded guilty in August this year to lesser counts of second-degree murder. While prosecutors are seeking a minimum of 97 years in prison, defense lawyers are asking the court for a sentence of 40 years to life. In a memorandum made public Thursday, attorneys Lauren Prusiner and Morgan Taggart-Hampton urged the judge to show “some measure of mercy,” citing the “immeasurable trauma” Sweeney suffered as a child. The defense team detailed a turbulent upbringing, claiming Sweeney’s mother “dragged him through drug dens and a succession of abusive father figures.” They argue that his actions were shaped by years of neglect, exposure to substance abuse, and unstable guardianship. “We are asking the court to grant Eric some measure of mercy,” Prusiner and Taggart-Hampton wrote, stressing that rehabilitation should be considered in sentencing. The case has sparked debate beyond the tragedy itself, raising questions about how US courts should weigh childhood trauma and mental health when sentencing juveniles convicted of violent crimes. Defense attorneys contend that a life sentence without parole would violate the New Hampshire constitution and overlook the impact of Sweeney’s early experiences.
